Man Caught With Heroin After Long Bathroom Break

A village sandwich shop customer faces drug charges after an employee called 911 because the man had been in the bathroom for an hour, according to a Tinley Park Police report.

Mark A. Sherman, 30, of the 6600 block of West 175th Street, was charged Feb. 15 with felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after police found him with about .04 grams of heroin, two hypodermic syringes and a spoon with a burned bottom, the report stated.

READ: Teen Charged With Armed Robbery

When two police officers responded to the call from the Subway shop in the 17200 block of Oak Park Avenue around 11:30 a.m., paramedics already were on the scene, talking with Sherman, who was now outside the bathroom, the report stated. Sherman wasn't answering the paramedics' questions, and he was swaying and having trouble standing, the report continued.

One of the officers noticed blood on the bathroom floor and asked Sherman what he was doing in there, the report stated.

READ: Police Bust Fencing Ring at Village Convenience Store

"I was getting a sandwich," Sherman replied, adding that he was eating when the officer repeated the question, according to the report.

The officer then asked for ID, which Sherman said was in his left coat pocket, the report said. Instead of identification, however, the officer found:

• two clear, plastic bags containing a white, powdery substance
• two hypodermic syringes
• a metal spoon with burn marks on the bottom

But Sherman, according to the report, had explanations for the items:

• The spoon was used for yogurt.
• The syringes were for low blood sugar.
• The powdery substance was his "medication."

Asked again what he was doing in the bathroom, Sherman admitted he used heroin, the report stated. The paramedics told police they thought Sherman was under the influence of some type of drug but didn't see a reason to take him to the hospital, the report continued. (Sherman also refused to be transported.)

PHOTOS: Check Out This Week's Mug Shot Gallery

Sherman was taken to the police station, and the powdery substance was determined to be heroin, something Sherman confirmed during the field test, the report stated.

“It’s heroin, worth $20.”

Police report information is provided by the Tinley Park Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

Two Ways to Stay Connected to Tinley Park Patch:

• Subscribe to our newsletters to have headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox.
• "Like" our Facebook page for updates throughout the day.